Ladies tackle fishing

With some 50 seasons of charter fishing under my belt, I can tell you from personal experience many of the ladies I have taken fishing will listen more intently to my fishing advice than men. They will try their best to do exactly what the captain or mate recommends, hooking and catching the fish of a life-time. Men will often shrug off any free instructions and revert to how they have taught themselves through the years how to fish. I also feel many lady anglers feel like it is a privilege to be on the boat. They simply enjoy every moment of their fishing experience. The proper way to introduce girls into fishing is at a very young age. Fathers will find out right away if their daughters do or do not enjoy fishing. Both my daughters, Mary Lee and Lisa Ann, would never turn down 
the opportunity to go fishing with their father. Their mother, Mary Barr, encouraged family fishing, but she did not like fishing and did not eat fish. Ladies must love the outdoors to really enjoy the fishing part. In many cases, it goes back to how young children are introduced to fishing, particularly little girls. I firmly believe it is very important to include ladies into the planning of any fishing trip. Get them excited about your upcoming fishing trip. Here are some tips on 
how to get your ladies interested in future fishing trips. One of the more important factors of a successful fishing outing is eating. Ladies love to feed their men, and fishing trips are no exception. Put together a shopping list of things to bring along on your fishing trip with your lady friends, and then make a trip to the store. It’s actually a lot of fun purchasing all of those delicious foods that will be consumed out on the water, where food actually tastes twice as good as it does on land. Include the girls in your day out on the water by discussing where you will be fishing, how you will be fishing, if you are planning to keep any fish and, more importantly, any plans for an upcoming fish fry.

Make sure that you bring along a camera. Take pictures of all their catches and any interesting points of interest during your fishing trip. Ladies love to look at fishing pictures that you have taken of their fishing trip, which will certainly become an important tool for getting them on the water in the future. When your lady angler is fighting a fish she has just attracted to her hook, don’t shout at her with fishing instructions she probably cannot hear. Simply step behind her and show her how to let the fish run when it is strong and how to reel when her fish becomes tired. The worst possible fishing instructions come from an abrasive voice.   Once her fish is landed, make sure you take plenty of photos of her big catch, which she can now share with family and friends. Encourage her to release her catch safely with proper catch and release methods that will ensure her catch will survive. Men can also learn new fishing techniques from their lady anglers. My lady angler, Glenda, is always pointing out new ways to catch fish while on the water, especially if the fish are not biting. Joining the Nassau Sport Fishing Association will also allow your lady angler to communicate with other lady anglers. She can also compete in many of the lady angler events the NSFA holds each year. Go to www. nsfafish.net. Make sure you discuss with your lady fishermen her needs for a rest stop, prior to your fishing trip on the water. Certainly, it is important to have a bathroom 
on board, but if there isn’t, make other plans for their needs.